This invention relates to a sheet transfer apparatus for an image reading apparatus such as a copier, facsimile, printer and scanner, and an image reading apparatus equipped with the same. More specifically, this invention relates to a sheet transfer apparatus having a discharge tray that stores a sheet after reading an image and is capable of opening a sheet transport path disposed below the discharge tray.
Japanese Patent Publication (Tokkai) No. 09-292742 has disclosed an example of a sheet transfer apparatus with a sheet transport path disposed below a discharge tray. In the apparatus, a transfer belt sequentially draws a sheet stacked on a sheet supply tray and transports the sheet to a platen glass to read an image on the sheet. The apparatus is structured to reverse and transfer the sheet via a switchback path to organize a page order of the sheet. The switchback path is arranged below the discharge tray.
In the conventional sheet transfer apparatus, it is difficult to recover a sheet when the sheet is not properly transferred, and causes a paper jam in the switchback path arranged below the discharge tray. The sheet is transferred back and forth in the switchback path with being curled, thereby being easy to cause the paper jam.
To make it easy to remove the jammed sheet, the discharge tray may be arranged to rotate upward to open the switchback path. A sheet transfer apparatus is generally capable of handling a sheet having a size from B5 to A3. The most commonly used sheet size is A4, and the switchback path may be arranged to open at a sheet transfer inlet.
In the case of the A4 size, the sheet is discharged on a part of the discharge tray after a reading process. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 21, when the discharge tray is rotated upward, the sheets P stacked on the discharge tray H slide, thereby shifting a bundle of the sheet and mixing up the page order. In the apparatus shown in FIG. 21, a sheet transfer path is arranged below the discharge tray. The same problem occurs for an image forming apparatus such as a copier or facsimile, in which a toner is disposed in the apparatus, and a discharge tray is rotated to open the apparatus to replace the toner.
In view of the problems describe above, the first object of the present invention is to provide a sheet transfer apparatus having a discharge tray for stacking a sheet discharged from the apparatus. When the discharge tray is opened upward while the sheets are stacked thereupon, the sheets are restrained not so as to slide, thereby preventing displacement of the sheet bundle and disorder of the pages.
The second object of the present invention is to provide a sheet transfer apparatus in which only a sheet having a size that tends to slide is restrained not so as to slide on the discharge tray, so that a sheet having a size that does not tend to slide is discharged smoothly without any obstacles.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a sheet transfer apparatus includes a discharge tray movable in the vertical direction between the first position for receiving a discharged sheet and the second position oblique with regard to the first position, interconnecting means that activates when the discharge tray moves from the first position to the second position, and sheet regulating means engaging the interconnecting means for regulate the sheet on discharge tray. An image reading apparatus is equipped with such a sheet transfer apparatus.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, a sheet transfer apparatus includes a discharge tray, support means for supporting the discharge tray to be rotatable, interconnecting means that activates when the discharge tray rotates, and sheet regulating means engaging the interconnecting means and movable between a regulating position for regulating a sheet on the discharge tray and a retracted position for allowing the sheet to move. An image reading apparatus is equipped with such a sheet transfer apparatus.
With the sheet regulating means in the sheet transfer apparatus of the invention, it is possible to open the discharge tray without disrupting or disorganizing the sheets stacked on the discharge tray.
The interconnecting means comprises cam means for interconnecting with the rotation of the discharge tray. One edge of the sheet regulating means engages the cam means. Also, the sheet regulating means is fixed at the regulating position when the cam means rotates more than a predetermined angle.
According to the present invention, the interconnecting means in the sheet transfer apparatus further comprises control means for preventing the sheet regulating means from moving from the retracted position to the regulating position even if the discharge tray is rotated when a load beyond a predetermined limit is applied to activate the sheet regulating means. With this configuration, the interconnecting means does not move due to a weight of the sheets covering the sheet regulating means when the discharge tray is rotated. The control means may include spring means or friction transmission means.
According to the present invention, a sheet transfer apparatus comprises a discharge tray having the first discharge tray for receiving a sheet discharged from a sheet discharge outlet and the second discharge tray arranged adjacent to the first discharge tray; support means for supporting the first discharge tray to be rotatable to open a lower portion of the discharge tray; interconnecting means that activates when the first discharge tray rotates beyond a predetermined angle; and sheet regulating means that engages the interconnecting means and moves between a regulating position for regulating the movement of the sheet placed on the discharge tray and a retracted position for allowing the sheet to move.
In the apparatus of the present invention, the sheet regulating means is supported on the second discharge tray, and the second supporting means supports the second discharge tray to be movable independently of the first discharge tray, thereby allowing the second discharge tray to open.
When a load beyond the predetermined amount is applied to the sheet regulating means, the interconnecting means controls the sheet regulating means to move from the retracted position to the regulating position.
According to the present invention, a sheet transfer apparatus comprises a discharge tray; transfer means for transferring a sheet along a platen for reading an image; a switchback path for switching and reversing the sheet transferred from the transfer means; a discharge tray composed of the first discharge tray arranged above the switchback path and being movable in a vertical direction between the first position for receiving the sheet after reading the image and the second position that opens the sheet transfer inlet side of the switchback path, and a second discharge tray disposed adjacent to the first discharge tray; support means for supporting the first discharge tray to be rotatably to open the switchback path; interconnecting means that activates according to the rotation of the first discharge tray; and sheet control means movable from a retracted position for allowing the sheet to move to a regulating position for regulating the movement of the sheet on the discharge tray through the action of the interconnecting means when the first discharge tray is rotated from the first position to the second position. An image reading apparatus is equipped with such a sheet transfer apparatus.
With this configuration, it is possible to easily remove the sheet jammed in the switchback path. The sheet regulating means also prevents the sheet placed on the discharge tray from slipping even when the discharge tray is lifted upward to open the switchback path, thereby maintaining the original state of the sheets on the discharge tray.
According to the present invention, the sheet transfer apparatus further comprises control means for interconnecting with the rotation of the first discharge tray so that the sheet regulating means does not move from the retracted position to the regulating position when the sheet is discharged and straddles between the first discharge tray and the second discharge tray above the sheet regulating means. Therefore, when a large size sheet such as A3 or B4 is placed beyond the first discharge tray to reach the second discharge tray, the sheet regulating means rises to prevent the sheet from being disorganized.
The first discharge tray and the second discharge tray are rotatably attached to a apparatus frame, thereby allowing an entire lower portion of the discharge tray to open.
According to the present invention, a sheet transfer apparatus comprises a discharge tray movable in the vertical direction between the first position for receiving a discharged sheet and the second position oblique with regard to the first position; a tray position sensor for detecting a location of the discharge tray at the first position or the second position; sheet regulating means for regulating the movement of the sheet on the discharge tray; drive means for driving the sheet regulating means to a position where the sheet regulating means engages the sheet; a sheet sensor disposed at upstream in the sheet discharge direction further than the sheet regulating means for detecting the sheet; and control means that actuates the drive means when the tray position sensor detects the discharge tray at the second position.
The sheet transfer apparatus further comprises the second sheet sensor for detecting whether the sheet on the discharge tray is located at downstream in the sheet discharge direction beyond the sheet regulating means. The sheet transfer apparatus further includes control means for preventing the drive means from activating when the second sheet sensor detects the sheets at downstream in the discharge direction, even when the tray position sensor detects the discharge tray at the second position. With this configuration, it is possible to easily remove a sheet jammed in the switchback path formed below the discharge tray. Furthermore, the sheet regulating means can maintain the original state of the sheet on the discharge tray without slipping out of place even if the discharge tray is lifted to open the switchback path and remove the jammed sheet.